CHARDONNAY Moving to the more powerful and oaky bottles was quite a gear change, but there was no shortage And the nominees are… of impressive wines in that category, although the tasters often questioned their sucrosity, and the Argentina (nominated by Patricio Tapia) I Ca’ del Bosco, Curtefranca, Lombardy fact that some valued power over finesse. I Bodega Aleanna, El Enemigo, 2010 The best Chardonnays I Cantina Terlano, Rarità, Terlan, Morris was keen to distinguish sweetness from Mendoza 2012 I Caelum, Reserva, Luján de Cuyo, Alto Adige 2000 sucrosity, pointing out that the latter referred to the Mendoza 2011 I Capannelle, Tuscany 2011 impression of sweetness. Actual sweetness could I Catena Zapata, Angélica Zapata, Fèlsina Berardenga, I Sistri, Tuscany 2012 easily be derived from a dollop of residual sugar in Tupungato, Mendoza 2012 I Gaja, Gaja & Rey, Langhe, Piedmont 2011 in the world the wine – a common feature of much popular I Catena Zapata, White Bones, I Isole e Olena, Collezione Privata, Californian and Australian Chardonnay – whereas Tupungato, Mendoza 2011 Tuscany 2012 I Catena Zapata, White Stones, I Jermann, Dreams, Venezia Giulia 2012 sucrosity could just as easily be a side-effect of high Tupungato, Mendoza 2011 I Les Crêtes, Cuvée Bois, Valle d’Aosta 2012 (outside Burgundy) alcohol. It wasn’t always easy to distinguish I Finca Sophenia, Reserve, Tupungato, I Tasca, Vigna San Francesco, Contea di between the two, though it seemed there were few Mendoza 2012 Sclafani, Sicily 2012 wines that had alarming amounts of residual sugar. I Luca, G Lot, Tupungato, Mendoza 2012 I Vie di Romans, Friuli Isonzo, Friuli Aside from Chablis, Meursault or Montrachet, which of the world’s A fine white Burgundy should offer complexity, I Luigi Bosca, Finca Los Nobles, Venezia Giulia 2012 leading Chardonnay regions would you turn to, and what are the nuance, finesse and ageability. How many of these Mendoza 2011 New Zealand (Bob Campbell MW) I Rutini, Apartado, Mendoza 2013 qualities were echoed in the non-Burgundian I Bell Hill, Canterbury 2011 top wines from each? In a landmark tasting, Stephen Brook heads I Trapezio, Plus Chardonnay, Agrelo, I Dog Point Vineyard, Marlborough 2011 Chardonnays? Morris willingly conceded that for at up an expert panel to find out – and the results may surprise you Mendoza 2011 I Felton Road, Block 2, Bannockburn, least 20 years other regions have produced wines of Australia (Huon Hooke & Tyson Stelzer) Central Otago 2012 a quality that rivalled good Burgundy. Indeed, he I By Farr, Geelong, Victoria 2012 I Forrest Wines, John Forrest Collection, noted of this line-up, ‘If we had the same number of I Cullen, Kevin John, Margaret River, Wairu Valley, Marlborough 2011 CHARDONNAY, MOST WINE lovers agree, is the the editorial team made a final selection of 80 theoretically top Burgundies in a tasting, they would Western Australia 2012 I Fromm, Clayvin Vineyard, ‘If we had the I noblest white grape variety (we’ll allow Riesling wines (see box, right). The tasters (myself, Jasper not have been as consistently good.’ Spurrier and I De Bortoli, Section A5, Yarra Valley, Marlborough 2007 Victoria 2012 I Giesen, The Fuder, Clayvin, enthusiasts a dissenting voice). But at least four Morris MW and Steven Spurrier) were given felt much the same, though Spurrier suspected he same number I De Bortoli & Shelmerdine, Phi, Lusatia Marlborough 2012 decades have gone by since it was a monopoly of the minimal information: just the vaguest indications might have assessed more critically had the wine Park Vineyard, Yarra Valley, Victoria 2007 I Kumeu River, Maté’s Vineyard, Burgundy region and Champagne. Today it is widely about oak-ageing and alcohol. Thus the wines were of theoretically actually been from Burgundy. I Flametree, SRS, Wallcliffe, Margaret Kumeu 2011 planted throughout the world, and with mature required to speak for themselves. Spurrier and I Had this been a conventional Decanter panel River, Western Australia 2013 I Martinborough Vineyard, Martinborough vineyards and experienced winemakers working broadly agreed with Morris’ assertion that ‘about tasting, just over half the wines would have fallen I Giaconda, Beechworth, Victoria 2011 Terrace, Martinborough 2012 top Burgundies I Leeuwin Estate, Art Series, Margaret I with the variety, it was irresistibly tempting to test half the wines couldn’t have been Burgundy, but into the Outstanding or Highly Recommended Neudorf, Moutere, Nelson 2012 River, Western Australia 2010 I Villa Maria, Keltern Vineyard, how Chardonnay outside Burgundy is faring, half quite easily could have’. in a tasting, categories – an impressive result. (Though given the I Mac Forbes, Woori Yallock, Yarra Valley, Hawke’s Bay 2013 especially since concerns about premature wines had been pre-selected for their exceptional Victoria 2013 South Africa (Tim Atkin MW) I Oakridge, 864 Single Block Release, oxidation and ever soaring prices increasingly Power vs finesse they would not quality, this figure may not be quite as astounding I Ataraxia, Hemel-en-Aarde 2013 Yarra Valley, Victoria 2011 persuade wine drinkers to look outside that region. The wines fell, approximately into two camps: those as it at first appears. Nonetheless the panel was I Chamonix, Reserve, Franschhoek 2013 I Penfolds, Reserve Bin 13A, Adelaide Unlike its stablemate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay with 13.5% alcohol or less, and those with 14% or have been as more than delighted by the quality overall.) I Crystallum, Clay Shales, Overberg 2013 Hills, South Australia 2013 I Crystallum, The Agnes, Western has never been particularly difficult to grow. While more. The less powerful wines tended to be aged, or I Penfolds, Yattarna, South Eastern Cape 2013 it tends to thrive in a relatively cool climate and so it seemed as they were tasted, in a moderate consistently Analysing the results Australia 2013 I De Wetshof, Bateleur, Robertson 2012 site, it can succeed in a number of styles, from proportion of new oak. The emphasis was on Looking closely at the actual results, it’s hard to see I Tolpuddle Vineyard, Tasmania 2012 I Hamilton Russell Vineyards, good’ Jasper Morris MW I Vasse Felix, Heytesbury, Margaret River, unoaked Chablis to richly oaked versions. In short, freshness, acidity and finesse. any clear pattern. Among the wines with the highest Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay 2013 Western Australia 2012 it’s malleable, a variety that winemakers love to Those in the second camp tended to be richer, average scores (which we’ve rated as Outstanding I Jordan, Nine Yards, Stellenbosch 2013 play with, as they can easily exercise their skills on toastier, with more evident use of oak. There were and above) four are from Australia, three are from Canada (Stephen Brook & Jon Bonné) I Longridge, Stellenbosch 2013 I it, dabbling in all kinds of variables, such as yields, excellent wines in both camps, although the panel South Africa, there are two each from the US and Norman Hardie, Estate, Prince Edward I Richard Kershaw, Clonal Selection, County, Ontario 2012 barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation (or its (perhaps because of our demure European tastes) New Zealand, and one each from Canada and Italy. Elgin 2012 I Tawse, Estate, Niagara Penisula, I Sumaridge Estate Wines, Upper suppression), lees-stirring, and more. tended to favour the fresher styles, which showed The only surprises here are the unexpectedly Ontario 2011 Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay 2012 Given Chardonnay’s popularity, the field for any precision, restraint and, often, minerality. strong performances by wines from Lombardy and Chile (Peter Richards MW & Patricio Tapia) USA (Jon Bonné and Stephen Brook) tasting of top Chardonnays needed to be narrowed The 2013s showed beautifully, and there was Niagara, and the presence in force of South Africa’s I Alto Las Gredas, Gran Reserva, I Au Bon Climat, Los Alamos Vineyard, down, a task undertaken by Decanter experts who less tension and more overt sucrosity in the 2012s. Hemel-en-Aarde region. Perquenco 2012 Santa Barbara County, California 2011 nominated what they considered the finest Rather to our surprise, the handful of 2010s were Among the next tier of high-scoring wines I Aristos, Duquesa d’A, Cachapoal 2009 I Ceritas, Porter-Bass Vineyard, Sonoma Chardonnays from their regions. From these lists, mostly stunning, with very little evolution. (Highly Recommended), seven come from the US ­ I Calyptra, Gran Reserva, Cachapoal 2011 Coast, California 2012 I Clos des Fous, Locura 1, Rapel, I Chanin, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, Central Valley 2012 Santa Rita Hills, California 2012 I Concha y Toro, Marques de Casa Concha, I Failla, Haynes Vineyard, Coombsville, Limarí 2012 California 2012 I De Martino, Quebrada Seca, Limarí 2012 I Hanzell, Sonoma Valley, California 2012 I Maycas del Limarí, Quebrada Seca, I Hirsch Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, Ovalle, Limarí 2010 California 2012 I Miguel Torres, Cordillera, Reserva I Hyde & De Villaine, HdV, Carneros, Especial, Limarí 2012 Napa Valley, California 2010 I Pandolfi Price, Los Patricios, Itata 2010 I Knez, Demuth Vineyard, Anderson I Tabalí, Talinay, Coastal Limstone Valley, Mendocino, California 2012 Vineyard, Limarí 2013 I Lioco, Demuth Vineyard, Anderson I Viña Aquitania, Sol de Sol, Malleco Valley, Mendocino, California 2012 Valley, Traiguén 2011 I Littorai, BA Thieriot Vineyard, Sonoma I Viña Ventisquero, Tara White Wine 1, Coast, California 2012 Atacama 2013 I Ramey, Platt Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, Italy (Ian D’Agata) California 2010 I Bellavista, Convento SS Annunciata, I Sandhi, Bentrock, Santa Rita Hills, Curtefranca, Lombardy 2010 California 2012 CHARDONNAY – all Californian – six from Australia, five Bell Hill, Giesen and Neudorf all did Concha y Toro, Felton Road, Block 2, Finca Sophenia, from New Zealand and four from Chile, with splendidly, but that may be as much to do The judges Marques de Casa Bannockburn, Central Reserve, Tupungato, three from Italy and two each from South with the talents of Paul Mason, Marcel Concha, Limarí, Otago, New Zealand Mendoza, Argentina Africa and Argentina.